Another Time
by Psycho Babble
Summary: Set in an alternate universe, based of the episode of e2, please r
1. Chapter 1

This is based after the alternate timeline in e2, but this fic is set in an alternate timeline set out in that episode.

Rating: pg-13 for now

Chapter 1

Stranded over a century in the past, the thought shocked Malcolm Reed, even now, two years after it had happened. At first he had been sad at the thought of never seeing the people he knew and loved ever again, but he had; like the rest of the crew come to terms with the fact. He glanced up at the sound of soft footsteps, his Ikaaran wife Melee had just gotten out of bed and was coming towards him. In an instant he was glad for the good things he had in his life because of what happened.

"Feeling better, love?" He asked her, he pulled her into his lap and kissed the side of her face. She ran one hand through her long brown hair, and the other hand on her swollen belly as a smile lit up her face.

"Much. I just wish the baby would give up on doing somersaults all day long. I think that he'd make a good security officer once he grows up," she snaked the other arm around his shoulders and touched her forehead against his nose, a sign of affection and love amongst her people.

"Phlox told u we were having a boy?" He asked. She laughed easily and shook her head.

"No, I just know that it is," she replied.

"Bridge to Ensign Melee," the voice of Captain Jonathan Archer cut through their intimate moment. With a sigh Melee reached out to the communications panel on the wall.

"Melee here," she said.

"Report to the shuttlebay. Hoshi's on her way there already and will fill you in once you get there," Archer said.

"I'll be there shortly," she said and deactivated the com.

"Duty calls," she stood up, trailing one fingernail up her husbands arm, before going into the bathroom. She returned a few moments later in her uniform, he pulled her close, his mouth locked with hers.

"Ok, enough, Malmal, I'll be back soon enough," she grinned, swatting his arm lightly as she left their quarters. He sighed as he headed for the bridge to start his shift early.

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Melee launched the shuttlepod with the ease of years of experience as a pilot. She glanced at Hoshi.

"How come this couldn't be done over the comms?" She asked the other woman. Lieutenant Hoshi Sato looked up from the padd in her hand.

"They're comms don't seem to match ours and the captain thinks that doing it this way would make it more personal and more likely that they'd trade the items we'd need," she replied. The two security personal seated in the back of the shuttlepod paid little attention to Hoshi or Melee.

"Makes sense I guess," Melee said. She turned back to what she was doing; piloting was something she loved to do, even in a shuttlepod.

"According to our scans they look human, so this shouldn't be too hard," Hoshi said. Melee let a small smile flit across her face as she looked at the other woman out of the corner of her eye.

"For you maybe, for those of us who aren't human it might be a little more difficult," she said jokingly. Her joking turned serious when she felt a slight jerking of the steering column; she glanced towards the scans on her right.

"You didn't say anything about the atmosphere storms," she said accusingly.

"Our scans were incomplete, something about them bouncing off the upper atmosphere. We only managed to get small amounts of information," Hoshi said. Melee scowled slightly as the jerking of the column got worse, in fact now the whole shuttlepod was rocking.

"I'm not sure this is such a good idea," she said. She waited for Hoshi; as the ranking officer to give the order.

"Take us back to Enterprise," Hoshi said finally. Melee nodded, starting to turn the shuttlepod when they were jerked violently. Melees knuckles whitened as she gripped the steering column in both hands, she ignored the wailing of the alarms going off around her.

"We were hit on the port side by something," Hoshi said, her eyes flicking over the console in front of her.

"Lieutenant Sato to Enterprise,"

"Enterprise, go ahead, Hoshi," the voice of Jonathan Archer came back through the speaker.

"We've been hit hard by something," Hoshi said.

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"Can you return to us?" Archer asked.

"Whatever hit us did a good job; I've barely engines going at all here. It's going to be hard, but I'll try," Melee said.

"Can you move us in closer to them, Travis?" Archer asked the helmsman.

"That's not a good idea, Captain. The atmosphere storms are just getting worse, Enterprise could be pulled in to," Hoshi's voice crackled slightly. Archer glanced at T'pol, who nodded her agreement with Hoshi's assessment.

"Understood, Lieuutenant, keep the comms open," he ordered.

"Aye, sir," Hoshi said. A few moments later a voice muttered an Ikaaran curse.

"Captain, we're not able to pull free. Are we clear enough for us to be transported out?"

"Not yet, Hoshi. Keep comin' up more if ya can," said Charles 'Trip' Tucker.

"I can't," Melee told him. Despite the calmness of her voice Malcolm Reed felt a ripple of fear for the safety of his wife.

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"Hoshi transfer as much of the power to the thrusters as you can. We're going down, let's try and make it as easy as possible," Melee said. Hoshi didn't bother to reply, just set about doing what Melee told her to. _Good thing I paid attention when Trip was showing me this stuff, _she thought to herself. When she looked up she could see even from this distance that they'd crash a few miles south of a small town.

"It's not going to be enough," Melee said through gritted teeth. Even with the thrusters at full power they were moving far to fast and she knew it. They smacked into the ground with bone jarring force.

Hoshi coughed a few times, groaning as she sat back up. She glanced over at Melee and saw her slumped over the steering column. She quickly unbuckled herself to check on the other woman. When she got closer to her Hoshi realised that the column had been driven right through her right side, but that Melee was still conscious.

"Check the others," the pilot said. Hoshi stepped over the debris strewn on the floor, reaching to check the pulse on both security guards.

"They're dead," she returned to Melee, looking over her injuries more closely. The column had pierced her right through just below the chest and the pilots chair had pinned one of her legs to the console.

"Doesn't look to bad,"

"You're a terrible liar, Hoshi," Melee said.

"Enterprise will figure a way to get us out of here," Hoshi reassured her.

"Not without risking more people and not in time," Melee looked at the communications officer.

"The babies also decided that now would be a good time to make its appearance," one hand moved to her belly. Hoshi silently cursed, of all the timing for this to happen, now was the worst.

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"T'Pol?" Archer strode towards the Vulcan woman.

"It will take time for me to look over the information that Lieutenant Sato sent us," T'Pol informed him calmly.

"They don't have time; they could be injured, even…" Malcolm Reed burst out, before he got control of himself.

"We'll get them back, Malcolm. I'm not leaving here without them," Archer assured the armoury officer.

"We will be able to analyze the scans we received from Lieutenant Sato and discover a way to retrieve them," T'Pol added. She glanced in the direction of Trip as she stood up, the two going down to engineering to work on the problem together.

"Malcolm, why don't you take a break for a while?" Archer suggested to the tactical officer.

"I'd rather be here, Captain, in case anything more comes in," Reed responded. Archer nodded understandingly.

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It had been almost a day since they crashed, but neither Melee or Hoshi were thinking of that now.

"I can see its head," Hoshi informed Melee. The Ikaaran woman gave a grunt and Hoshi barely had time to catch the tiny baby, gently she wrapped it in a blanket and moved to stand in front of Melee.

"It's a girl, Melee, look," she held the infant out towards her mother. Melee looked at her daughter. Then her eyes turned upwards to Hoshi's face, tears in her eyes.

"Tell Malcolm to love her enough for both of us. Tell him…tell him I'm sorry," she said.

"Don't talk like that," Hoshi scolded.

"No...I can feel it Hoshi, I'm so tired," Melee smiled a sad little smile, as she brushed one finger against her daughters cheek. She was having trouble breathing and she just felt so tired. Maybe if she just rested for a moment then she'd feel better.

"You're going to watch her grow up and see her talking her first steps and…" Hoshi trailed off as she realised that Melee was not listening anymore. She wasn't breathing and the way she had slumped even further down on the steering column Hoshi could tell that she was gone.


	2. Chapter 2

Chapter 2

Malcolm paced his quarters, after over two days with no sleep the captain had ordered him to get some rest. He was however no mood for sleep, the person he cherished most in his life had crash landed on a planet and had not been heard from since.

"Bridge to Lieutenant Commander Reed," Archers voice was clear. Malcolm almost tripped over his own feet trying to get to the comm unit.

"Reed here, sir," he said.

"You might want to get up here. T'Pol and Trip have something,"

"I'm on my way," and he was out the door.

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He stepped out onto the bridge, Archer actually smiled at him. _God, please let her be ok, _Malcolm thought.

"We have found a way to transport through the atmosphere, however we need to wait until the current atmosphere storms have dissipated," T'Pol said.

"As soon as we can I'll be going down there with Trip, Phlox and yourself," Archer told Malcolm.

"How long?" He asked.

"I estimate at least four hours before we can do this," T'Pol stated.

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"You will need to return as soon as possible. The atmosphere storms are unpredictable. Commander Tucker has made modifications to the tricorders and the communicators so they should work," T'Pol said. Archer nodded as he, Phlox and Trip stepped up on the transporter pad.

"Energise," he said.

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"This way," Trip said. Holding the tricorder in front of himself he started walking in the direction it indicated. After a few minutes they were in a clearing. A smaller figure strode further up a well worn path. After a moment or two it stopped, glanced back in their direction. Trip couldn't see her features properly in the darkness.

"Hoshi?" A young female voice asked.

"No, do you know her?" Archer asked. The girl stood still for a moment, saying nothing. Then took off running up the path.

"Hoshi!" She yelled as she ran. Archer glanced at Phlox, he had to admit that this was the first time he had received such a reaction. Trip and Reed took off after her.

"Wait!" Called Reed. The girl kept running, right up until her foot caught in something and she fell to the ground. She scrambled back to her feet quickly, her head turning from side to side and then started running back in their direction and slammed right into Reed who was unprepared. The two tumbled to the ground.

"Get off me!" She screamed. She clawed at his arms and kicked her legs in an attempt to get free.

"Calm down, we're not going to hurt you," Reed told her. He still couldn't see her face in the darkness. Her struggles intensified and he tried to grab her flailing hands. That was when he felt the pain in his upper arm and yelled more in surprise than pain. A phaser blast shot past Archer and Phlox who had just arrived.

"Get off her now!" A voice snapped. Reed, gripping his arms where the girl had somehow managed to stab him with a small knife rolled off her and got to his feet.

"Melina, are you alright?"

"Yeah, didn't hear them coming until they were practically on me," the girl; Melina said, as she made her way towards the new arrival. Who hugged her close with one arm, keeping the phaser trained on Archer.

"We don't need your kind around here. Go home," she said into the darkness.

"Hoshi, is that you?" Archer asked. The voice sounded like hers, but older, more mature.

"Captain Archer?" Hoshi Sato asked, momentarily wondering if she was imagining things.

"Are you, Ensign Melee and the others alright?" Archer asked. Hoshi sighed, as she holstered the phaser.

"You'd better come with us," she said. Without another word she turned and started walking up the path. Archer and the others followed.

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"Come on in," Hoshi held the door open.

"One of the inhabitants of the planet owns this house?" Archer asked.

"It's ours," Hoshi turned on one of the lights and Archer got a shock. Her hair was tinted with grey streaks and her face was slightly lined with wrinkles.

"Hoshi, what happened to you?" He asked. She held up one hand to forestall anymore questions and looked towards the girl who Archer now realised was wearing a hooded sweater which obscured her features even in the light.

"Melina, go pack your things, I think we'll be leaving soon," she said. The girl nodded and headed off down the short hallway. Once she was gone Hoshi gestured towards a side room and they all sat down. Phlox started tending to Malcolm's injured arm.

"When did we crash here?" She asked.

"Three days ago," Archer replied, slightly confused by the question. Hoshi put her head in her hands and her shoulders started to shake slightly as if she were crying. Indeed when she looked back up at Archer she was.

"I've questioned over the years why you never came for us. Now I have my answer," she said. Archer looked at Trip, who shrugged, just as confused as his captain as to just where Hoshi was going with this.

"We crashed here over fourteen years ago. When you didn't come for us I thought you'd left us here. I don't understand how this happened,"

"Melina is one of the inhabitants of this planet that lives with you?" Trip asked.

"No, Melina is-"

"Melina is not deaf," the girl had entered the room silently.

"You shouldn't eavesdrop," Hoshi said. Melina shrugged her shoulders, as she sat down on the floor.

"Wasn't like I had that much to pack anyway," she threw the small bag she carried on the floor and it landed with a thump.

"Melina," Hoshi said with a note of warning in her voice.

"So…Melina's what?" Melina prompted. Hoshi looked around, a little nervous now that the girl was in the room.

"Do you have a way to get us back to Enterprise?" She asked instead. Archer nodded, as he stood up. Whoever the girl was apparently Hoshi intended for her to come with them and he wasn't going to argue.

"You have everything you need?" He asked her. Hoshi pulled Melina to her feet, draping one arm protectively around the young girl.

"I do now," she replied.

"Doesn't Melina have friends here she'd like ta say goodbye ta first?" Trip asked. Melina snorted a sarcastic sounding laugh.

"Friends! Bunch of xenophobic bastards!" She spat out.

"Melina!" Hoshi snapped at the girls use of the swear word.

"Sorry," Melina muttered.

"No, we're ready to head back home," Hoshi smiled at Trip. Archer took his communicator out of a pocket and flipped it open.

"Archer to Enterprise, six to transport," he said. Hoshi stepped away from Melina. A moment later they were in the familiar transporter room of Enterprise. Melina swayed a little, one hand going to her stomach. Hoshi grabbed her other arm.

"Here sit down for a moment," she said. The girl seemed to more collapse on the platform than to actually sit properly.

"Sorry, I should have warned ya about that, it can take a little getting used to," Trip said.

"Let's get you to sickbay, Commander," Phlox said to Malcolm. The two left the transporter room, leaving Archer, Trip, Hoshi, Melina and T'pol alone.

"I feel alright now," Melina mumbled. Hoshi frowned, obviously in concern.

"Okay, but you start feeling like that again and you tell me," she said. Melina nodded as she stood up.

"You can take the hood off here," Hoshi took the bag from the girls hands.

"You told me not to do that around other people," Melina said.

"It's alright to do it here. They're not the same here as they are back there," Hoshi told her. Melina reached up and pushed the hood of her sweater back, revealing just past the shoulder brown hair and a ridge that ran down the centre of her forehead. Hoshi turned her attention from Melina to Archer.

"If it's alright, Captain, I'd like to get her settled in for the night,"

"Of course, you're quarters are still the way you left them," Archer said.

"I'll come and talk to you as soon as I do," she told him.

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"How can you be so certain that they won't do the same kind of things that the others did?" Melina asked a slight note of fear in her voice.

"Because I know them. Trust me, Melina, if I thought they were going to hurt you we'd have stayed where we were," Hoshi said soothingly. She started to unpack the girls' small bag and handed her the nightshirt.

"Time for you to get some sleep, it's pretty late,"

"But I want to-" Melina started.

"You can check the rest of the ship tomorrow, but it's very late and you need rest now," Hoshi told her. Melina started to change into the nightshirt, neatly folding every piece of clothing that she took off and handing it to Hoshi, once she was done she crawled into the nearby lower bunk bed and pulled the covers up. Hoshi put the clothes away and then came too sat on the edge of the bed.

"Don't worry about anything," she said to the girl.

"Now I've got to talk with the Captain, but if you need me there's a comm panel just over your head, just activate it and ask for me, ok?"

"Ok, night, Hoshi," Melina was already exhausted and her eyes were drooping closed.

"Goodnight, Melina," Hoshi stepped quietly from the room so as not to disturb the girl.

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"Hoshi, come in," Archer was waiting for her in his office.

"It might be better if Lieutenant Commander Reed were here as well, sir," Hoshi said.

"He's on his way already," Archer said. As if on cue the doors slid open and Malcolm Reed stepped inside. Archer gestured to the couch in the room and took a separate seat himself.

"I was certain that you wouldn't be coming back for us," Hoshi said.

"After a few days we settled into an old cabin and have been living there ever since. Not the best of places I'll admit, but better than nothing,"

"Where's Melee?" Malcolm asked, although he suspected the answer. Hoshi sighed and took one of his hands in hers.

"She died," she took a deep breath, knowing that Malcolm deserved to know the truth of what had happened to his wife.

"When we crash landed she was thrown against the steering column of the shuttlepod which stabbed her just below her chest, her seat had trapped and crushed one of her legs against the console. She wanted you to know that she was sorry that she wouldn't see you again and asked that you love your daughter enough for both you and her. I'm so sorry," She had learned to deal over the years, but Malcolm had only seen his wife alive and healthy three days earlier. Malcolm pulled his hand from hers and stood up to pace the room, he had never been one to show his feelings in front of others, but the loss of Melee…he wasn't sure how to handle that.

"And Melina is…" Archer didn't finish the question. Hoshi nodded, as she watched Malcolm in concern.

"Melina is Malcolm and Melee's daughter, yes," she finished. Malcolm turned to look at her with empty eyes.

"I don't understand, she should just be a baby," he said.

"T'Pol explained that already," Archer said.

"She said that time passes a lot faster on the planet than it does in normal space,"

"How old is she?" Malcolm asked Hoshi.

"Just turned fourteen. There are other things you should know as well though," Hoshi said.

"The people on the planet aren't particularly accepting of other species,"

"You're had experience of this?" Archer asked in concern, sitting forward in his chair.

"Not personally no, but Melina has. She's been attacked a number of times over the years, which is why she ran from you and stabbed Malcolm in the arm," Hoshi replied.

"When and how?" Malcolm asked, a frown creasing his forehead.

"When she was four was the first time, she was out playing by herself, not to far from me. I heard her screaming, when I got to her I found some other children throwing stones at her. Second time was when she seven she went swimming in a pool of water, some other children decided to try and drown her. Numerous other times that you probably don't want to know about," Hoshi said.

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She jerked upright, sweating and panting for breath. She could still see them coming at her in the dark, hear their voices and smell their stench in her nostrils. She tumbled out of the bed and went in search of Hoshi, she didn't get very far before she hit a wall and stumbled backwards, one hand going to her bloodied nose. The other hand reaching out to the wall as she made her way along it.

"Hoshi?" She called. There was no answer as she slowly worked her way along the wall and came to a door, fingers scrabbled at it trying to get it to open, eventually they found the door controls and with a hiss they opened in front of her. She stepped out in the corridor.

"Hoshi?!" She called louder this time. Her breath coming in short gasps, she heard two sets of footsteps coming towards her and turned to face whoever it was. Her brow wrinkling as she tried to make out who they were.

"Melina, it's alright," a familiar voice said. She shook her head, two hands out in front of her as she backed up against the wall behind her.

"Stay away from me!" She yelled, both hands out in front of her as if to fend off an attack. A hand grabbed one of her arms.

"It's okay. I'm Trip, I met you down on the planet, remember?" He said, trying to calm the frightened girl.

"NO! Leave me alone!" She screamed again. Trip looked back towards T'Pol, who was already going to the nearest comm unit.

"T'Pol to Lieutenant Sato," she said calmly, as if undisturbed by the panicked girl and her husband who was currently trying to calm her down.

"Sato here, Commander," Hoshi's voice came through clearly.

"Hoshi! Get them away from me!" Melina yelled. She finally managed to yank her arm free of Trips hand and turned to run away, but T'Pol was right behind her to.

"What do you want from me?!"

"Melina, we are not going to harm you," T'Pol stated.

"Melina! It's okay," Hoshi had finally arrived, Malcolm and Archer not far behind her. She went to the girl and hugged her tightly.

"Hoshi, they were here, right here," the girl seemed to get even more worked up as she spoke. Tears poured down her face as she let the older woman hold her.

"No, they weren't, it was just a dream," Hoshi took a moment to look at Archer who took the hint and left with Trip and T'Pol. Malcolm came closer to them. The child resembled Melee in a way that made his heart ache, especially on seeing the look in the girls' eyes and face.

"It's ok, they can't get to you up here," Hoshi soothed. Melina shook her head, her hands gripping Hoshis arms.

"How do you know that?!" She asked desperately. Hoshi was subtly leading the girl back towards her quarters and the two entered as the door opened. Hoshi glanced back at Malcolm and nodded, indicating that it was alright for him to come in as well. He walked in slowly; all of this was a big shock to him. Hoshi guided Melina to the bed and sat down next to her, Malcolm sat in the only chair in the room.

"What did you do to your nose?" Hoshi asked, she touched the end of the girls nose gently, but Melina still winced.

"Ow," she said.

"Sorry, I'll go get something for that," Hoshi said. She went into the small bathroom leaving Melina and Malcolm alone for a few minutes. Malcolm stared at his daughter not sure what to say. She seemed to sniff the air for a few moments.

"Hoshi, who else is in here?" Melina asked. Hoshi finally returned carrying a damp cloth. She took Malcolm's hand and led him over to the girl.

"I'm sorry, I forgot to introduce you," She said a little nervously, she didn't know how the girl was going to take meeting her father for the first time. Malcolm was confused by what was going on, he had assumed that the girl; although upset, would have noticed his presence earlier.

"Melina, this is your father; Malcolm Reed," Hoshi placed the girls hand in her fathers.

"What am I meant to call him?" Melina asked.

"I realise this is going to be a little…awkward at first. Why don't you just call me Malcolm?" Malcolm suggested.

"Ok…I guess I can do that. Can I look at you?" Melina asked. Malcolm confused by the question glanced towards Hoshi; she just smiled at him nervously.

"Of course," he said. She let go of his hand and stretched out towards him with tentative fingers at first feeling his face and Malcolm finally realised why she hadn't noticed him in the room before now; she was blind.

"I'm sorry about your arm, I didn't know who you were or what you wanted," Melina said quietly.

"That's ok, Hoshi explained why you did it and I don't blame you for it," he said.

"Told you everything?" She asked.

"No, just some of it," Hoshi said. The girl breathed a sigh of relief as she stopped feeling Malcolms face as Hoshi wiped away the dried blood on Melinas nose.

"Doesn't look to bad, at least not enough that you'll have to go see Phlox,"

"The…doctor?" Melina asked, trying to remember from what Hoshi had told her about the people of Enterprise years before.

"Yes. You want to go back to sleep now?" Hoshi asked. Melina shrugged her shoulders, a frown creasing her brow.

"I guess so…" she mumbled.

"I'll be right here in the bunk above you if you have any more nightmares," Hoshi assured her.

"Ok," Melina said. She crawled back under the blanket and lay down.

"Night Hoshi, night…Malcolm," she mumbled sleepily, already falling asleep.

"Goodnight," Malcolm said, he looked at Hoshi.

"Nightmares?"

"She has nightmares, has had since…" Hoshi shook her head pulling Malcolm back away from the bed.

"Spend some time with her, get to know her, once she starts to trust you then she might tell you herself," she whispered. Malcolm didn't like the answer, but judging by the look on Hoshi's face he wasn't going to get anymore out of her about the nightmares.

"Ok, I'll come back tomorrow morning," he said.

"Alright, goodnight, Commander," Hoshi said.

"Goodnight," he stepped out of the quarters and headed for his own room, his mind a jumble of thoughts and emotions.


	3. Chapter 3

I▓m not sure on medical procedures so I▓m making it up.

Chapter 3

Malcolm Reed entered his quarters; the first thing his eyes fell on was the crib that had been a gift of Trip just last week, the engineer having made it himself, it was plain but well made. He stared at it for a moment, his face twisting into a grimace as he lashed out with one foot, his boot connecting solidly with the wooden crib sending it crashing against the far wall of his quarters and landing on its side on the floor. He could feel the anger rising in from within himself. He hadn▓t asked Hoshi sooner about Melee because deep down he knew the answer already; he just didn▓t WANT to believe it. He sat down heavily on the end of his bed and instantly his eyes were drawn to the picture on the desk, he and Melee had been on a planet and Travis had been taking pictures of everyone there. He was standing behind Melee his arms wrapped around her waist, chin resting on the top of her head, both of them smiling at the camera. He remembered that day so well, only a few months before Melee had become pregnant, they had been so happy together. He was surprised to find himself crying for her and for the love they had shared for what seemed so short a time and now she was gone forever. He leaned forward on the bed; knees on elbows, his head in his hands as he just sobbed unable to stop himself. After a while he managed to get himself somewhat under control. He raised his head again and looked at the picture again. From what Hoshi had said he knew that Melee had probably known she was dying before she had even given birth to Melina, he also knew that if given the choice of her life over her babies she would have chosen the latter. That didn▓t make his pain any less, but he also knew what she would have hated to know that he in any way blamed Melina for what had happened.

⌠I promise I▓ll try my best,■ he promised Melee. He stood up going over to the crib, setting it upright again.

⌠Guess I won▓t be needing this anymore,■

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⌠Melina, wake up. We have to go get breakfast and then see Phlox this morning,■ Hoshi shook the girls shoulder through the blanket.

⌠Go ▒way!■ Melina swatted at Hoshi's hand.

⌠The captain wants us to see the doctor to make sure we▓re both alright,■ Hoshi tried again.

⌠I▓m sleepin▓!■ Melina mumbled.

⌠Fine, you get to find sickbay and the doctor on your own later,■ Hoshi finally gave up.

⌠Don▓t care,■ came the muttered response from under the blanket.

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⌠Sit down, Lieutenant, I▓ll be with you in a moment,■ Phlox smiled at her as Hoshi came into sickbay. He was changing the bandaging on Malcolm▓s arm.

⌠Where is Melina this morning?■ Phlox asked. Hoshi grinned, at the doctor then smiled at Malcolm.

⌠Where she is every morning before midday, in bed sleeping,■ she replied.

⌠Ah, being a typical teenager then,■ Phlox said. The sickbay doors opened and Melina walked in.

⌠Now this is something new, you decided to join us after all,■ Hoshi said. The girl made a grunting noise.

⌠And when she has to get up before her preferred time she▓s slightly on the grumpy side,■ Hoshi stated.

⌠Ok, Commander, I▓m all done with you. Shouldn▓t take to long to heal, the wound isn▓t that deep,■ Phlox said.

⌠Now for you two,■ he moved in Hoshi's direction first.

⌠You are welcome to stay, Commander,■ he told Malcolm. Melina sat down on a biobed near Hoshi and tucked her knees up under her chin.

⌠Do you have any food here?■ Melina asked.

⌠This is the sickbay, not the mess hall,■ Phlox said as he ran a tricorder over Hoshi.

⌠We can go get some lunch after the doctors finished here┘if you want to,■ Malcolm suggested. After a moment Melina nodded assent.

⌠Well you seem to be in perfect health, Lieutenant,■ Phlox said.

⌠Now for you young lady,■ he turned to Melina, who sat perfectly still, unsure of what she was supposed to do. Phlox did the same to her that he had done with Hoshi.

⌠Now I▓d like to take a look at your eyes. There▓s a seat right over this way,■ he waited for the girl to follow him, but she remained seated.

⌠There▓s nothing wrong with my eyes,■ she said.

⌠You▓re blind and I▓d like to check and see if anything can be done about that,■ Phlox said. Eventually she stood up and took a seat before a device in between her and the doctor. He reached out and manoeuvred her face onto the chin plate, her forehead pressed against a cold metal band. After a few simple tests the doctor glanced at Hoshi and then at Malcolm.

⌠It appears as if some damage was done years ago,■ he said.

⌠I think she▓s been blind since she was born, but I▓m not certain,■ Hoshi said.

⌠It should be fairly easy to correct however. The choice is yours, Commander,■ Phlox said.

⌠I don▓t want to see,■ Melina said.

⌠Let me think on that a while, Doctor,■ Malcolm said. Melina seemed to glare in his direction for a moment.

"Why does he get to decide what happens to me?" She asked.

"Melina!" Hoshi said, shocked at the young girl▓s behaviour.

"No! Why should someone I've just met get to make that decision?!" Melina snapped. She stood up abruptly and stalked out of sickbay.

"Ah the raging and often misdirected anger of adolescence," Phlox said, actually sounding happy.

"I'll go talk to her," Hoshi said. Malcolm grabbed her arm before she could leave.

"No, I'll go," he said.

Malcolm walked down the corridor, looking for his daughter. It didn't take him long; the pounding noises led him right to her.

"What did that access panel ever do to you?" He asked. She grunted at him, but stopped kicking the panel.

"Ok, bad attempt at a joke. What's wrong?" He crossed his arms across his chest and stared at the girl...his daughter waiting for an answer.

"Nothing," she muttered.

"Of course not, that's why you're kicking the wall," he said sarcastically and instantly regretted his words as she frowned in his direction.

"I want to know what's wrong, I want to help,"

"Really? You are not me, you don't know what I want. Let me make my own decisions," she snapped at him.

"You're right, I don't know what it is you want, unless you tell me," he said calmly.

"Have you ever been blind?"

"No, I can't say that I ever have been," he replied, unsure of why she was asking.

"How would you feel if tomorrow you woke up and you were?" She asked. He gave the question some serious thought before replying.

"A little afraid I suppose, I don't think I'd be able to do my job or even get dressed for that matter,"

"Now you know how I feel...at least about that. I've spent my whole life learning how to do things as someone who can't see. I'm blind; I'm used to it, just as you are familiar with being able to see. The thought of suddenly being able to see again and..." She stopped suddenly looking embarrassed.

"What?" He asked.

"Phlox didn't ask me what I wanted, he asked you what you wanted to do about my being blind," she paused again before continuing.

"I'm not trying to be offensive, but I don't even know you, why should you get to make a decision like that?"

"You're right, you don't know me and I don't know you. I hope that over the next few days we can rectify that. It should also be something that you decide, not me, it will affect you. What do you want to do about it?" He asked. She seemed surprised that he would ask what she wanted.

"I don't want to have to learn how to do things all over again as a 'seeing' person," she replied slowly as if expecting him to do the opposite of what she wanted.

"Than we'll tell Phlox that," 


End file.
